Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Down the rabbit hole to a fortune teller, but what does it say?

1 - The internet can bring you down a rabbit hole very quickly. I saw this tweet from @FranklinPSArt

The FHS sculpture classes' take on the social advocacy artwork of Ai Weiwei. Look for these fortune tellers in the lobbies tomorrow morning. Take one, follow the directions, and pass it on!

Link to AI Weiwei article: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/global-contemporary/a/sseeds-ai-weiwei
https://twitter.com/FranklinPSart/status/1064513464402669568

2 - Followed the article link to read about Ai Weiwei and his "Sunflower Seeds"
"More than 1,600 artisans worked to make the individual porcelain seeds by hand in Jingdzhen, the city known as the “Porcelain Capital,” where artists have been producing pottery for nearly 2000 years. Porcelain, first produced during the Han dynasty in about 200 B.C.E. and later mastered during the Tang dynasty, is made by heating white clay (kaolin) to a temperature over 1200 degrees Celsius. 
The fusion of the particles within the clay during firing allowed artists to create vessels with thin but strong walls. Porcelain— a symbol of imperial culture in China—was also made for export via the Silk Road and became important to the creation of the idea of China in the West."
3 - Found this video on the Tate Modern Gallery web page





4 - Now, who got one of the fortune tellers?

https://twitter.com/FranklinPSart/status/1064513464402669568
https://twitter.com/FranklinPSart/status/1064513464402669568

5 - How does it work? How does it tie back to Ai Weiwei?


Library of Congress: Letters About Literature Contest Opens


Writing Contest for Young Readers Across the Country Announced

Letters About Literature, the Library of Congress reading-and-writing contest now in its 26th year, is accepting applications beginning Nov. 1 for the 2018-19 cycle. For the first time, letters will be submitted electronically. 

Letters About Literature asks students in grades 4-12 to read a book, poem, speech or essay by an author, living or dead, to think about how that work affected them and to write to the author on the work's impact.

Click here for more information
https://www.loc.gov/item/prn-18-139?loclr=ealn



“You’d think there’d be a bigger interest but the numbers are never as large”

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Early voting and polarizing political views helped fuel robust turnout across Massachusetts, even though fewer people are voting than past decades. 
More than 2.7 million Massachusetts residents cast ballots on Nov. 6, representing the highest amount for a midterm election in two decades. Early voting accounted for 21.6 percent of total votes and proved popular for the second consecutive election. It was first allowed in 2016. 
“People were able to vote any way they wanted,” explained Marlene B. Chused, town clerk of Sharon, where overall turnout totaled 70 percent of registered voters. 
Statewide turnout totaled at least 59 percent of registered voters, marking the highest turnout for a midterm election since 1994 when Republican voters across the country turned out in droves in a rebuke to then-President Bill Clinton, a Democrat."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20181119/controversial-politics-early-voting-fueled-turnout-in-massachusetts-elections

I love the quote from the Waltham City Clerk that opens this posting. It comes from the same conclusion that I reached when looking at our voter turnout results over the years. It is no surprise that Franklin is not unique. Controversy and money drives election turnouts more than civic duty. It will help if early voting can be continued for our local election in 2019.


Election Information for Nov 2018
Election Information for Nov 2018

The election collection for 2018 can be found here

RECYCLING CENTER CLOSING UPDATE - Closed 11/20/18

Unfortunately do the continued repairs the Recycling Center , the facility will be closed tomorrow November 20, 2018

The Recycling Center will reopen for regular business hours this weekend Friday through Sunday. With this opening, we will be able to accept everything but cardboard and single stream recycling because the compactors will not be operational by then. 

Thank you for your understanding and Happy Thanksgiving.

Recycling Center remains closed on Tuesday, November 20
Recycling Center remains closed on Tuesday, November 20

This was shared from the Town of Franklin page

Monday, November 19, 2018

Local Teen Ballerina Shares the Stage with Father in FPAC’s Nutcracker

The Nutcracker is a holiday season tradition for countless young dancers whose annual turn in the Christmas fantasy marks a celebrated rite of passage. The chance to take part in the enchanting production, full of pageantry and splendor, engages the starry-eyed child dancer, while more advanced ballerinas relish opportunities to be cast in progressively more challenging roles.

Walpole’s Naomi Fitzgerald (17) is no stranger to this development. 2018 marks her fifth consecutive turn in the classic holiday ballet with the Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC). Over the years she has danced countless roles in the ballet including Marzipan Soloist, Harlequin, Soldier Doll, Rose in Waltz of the Flowers, Arabian corp, Spanish, and multiple roles in the snow scene which closes Act One.
Walpole’s Naomi Fitzgerald
Walpole’s Naomi Fitzgerald

"Particularly for students who start dancing The Nutcracker at younger ages, the ballet becomes tradition, a treasured part of their holiday season," says Director/Choreographer Cheryl Madeux, who formerly danced with the Joffrey Ballet, Hartford Ballet and American Ballet Theatre companies. "As dancers continue to train year after year, they develop the maturity, physically and emotionally, to take on more demanding and age-appropriate roles."

Naomi's parts in the ballet's magical snow scene reflect her progression, dancing first as a Junior Snowflake, then as a snowflake and snow princess, and now as Snow Queen. "My first Nutcracker, I instantly fell in love with the snow scene,” says Fitzgerald. “The magic, the excitement, the elegance. I loved every second of it, and watched the Snow Queen in complete awe of her beauty and strength. Getting the opportunity to perform as Snow Queen is an absolute dream come true, and rehearsing under the direction of Cheryl Madeux is an incomparable experience."
Naomi will also dance the parts of Soldier Doll, Spanish, and Rose
Naomi will also dance the parts of
Soldier Doll, Spanish, and Rose

Cast in multiple roles, Naomi will also dance the parts of Soldier Doll, Spanish, and Rose in Waltz of the Flowers this season.

Naomi will be joined on stage by her dad, Bob Fitzgerald, who will perform as a Party Parent in the festive Christmas Eve scene that opens the ballet's first act. She says of this experience, "Being in rehearsals with my Dad has been a blast. Not only do we get to spend some time together, but I get to share something with him that is so near and dear to me. He is so fun to watch, and I can't wait to share the stage with him.”

A student in the Ballet Conservatory program at the Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA), where Ms. Madeux is Ballet Director, Naomi also studies multiple dance disciplines as well as voice. Her training has even taken her to New York City for American Ballet Theatre’s New York Summer Intensive. Before focusing her dance studies to ballet, Naomi was a trained Irish Step Dancer with Open Champion status and was a top 10 individual medalist in two New England Region Oireachtas. She was also a member of two 1st Place North American Champion Ceili teams and two 1st Place Irish Dance World Champion Ceil teams, and she performed with WGBH’s A Christmas Celtic Sojourn.

FPAC presents The Nutcracker on Saturday, December 1 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 2 at 2 p.m. at the Franklin High School Auditorium, 218 Oak Street. With special guest artists, world-class musicians and more than 100 area dancers, the fairytale ballet features Boston Ballet Principal dancers Kathleen Breen Combes and Yury Yanowsky in the roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. Additionally Rosario Guillen, a student of the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, will dance the part of the Nutcracker/Prince, and New York-based dancer and choreographer Lucas Melfi will dance the role of Dr. Drosselmeyer.

The production features a professional orchestra under the direction of Broadway conductor/arranger Eric Stern. With 19 Broadway shows to his credit, including Shrek, Xanadu, Follies, Parade, and Candide, Stern has recorded over 30 albums. He has performed in concert with renowned artists Audra McDonald, Mandy Patinkin, Barbara Cook, Dawn Upshaw, Dianne Reeves, Deborah Voigt, Jesse Norman, Thomas Hampson, the Irish Tenors, and many others. Stern has conducted many of the world's top orchestras including the Cleveland Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke's and Boston Pops. He won an Emmy for his work for PBS, and his albums have been honored with a Grammy and two Gramophone Awards. He has enjoyed a long association with the National Orchestra of Wales as frequent guest conductor, and he currently teaches conducting at Berklee College of Music.

For tickets and more information, visit www.FPAConline.com or call (508) 528-3370.

Franklin Public Library: Closed for Thanksgiving

The Franklin Public Library will close at 2:00 PM on Wednesday and be closed all day Thursday for Thanksgiving.

The November newsletter with the details on all the activities scheduled for the month  http://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/news/november2018newsletter.pdf

The Adult programs survey
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdjBcijrE367wsJxsFEkKY9YiFXUpQq-zOAfKw3nhwv85Gzbg/viewform

Franklin Public Library: Closed for Thanksgiving
Franklin Public Library: Closed for Thanksgiving

FHS cheerleaders D1 champions; Brogan runs 13th in State; Unified basketball Jamboree; Academic decathlon

Via the Twitterverse, there were lots of good results for Franklin High School over the weekend. 

  • The FHS cheerleaders took 1st at the D1 Championships.
  • Tyler Brogan ran 13th in the State D1 cross country meet on a snowy course
  • FHS Unified basketball had a jamboree with Bellingham and Milford
  • The academic decathlon participants came home with medals!



https://twitter.com/FHScheer_/status/1064331664208334849
https://twitter.com/FHScheer_/status/1064331664208334849











Register O'Donnell Reports Small Real Estate Sales Increase in Norfolk County


Norfolk County Registry of Deeds

Register O'Donnell Reports Small Real Estate Sales Increase in Norfolk County

Norfolk County Register of Deeds William P. O'Donnell reported a small increase in county real estate sales during the month of October along with declining mortgage activity.

Register O'Donnell stated, "There were a total of 1,567 real estate sales, both residential and commercial, in Norfolk County for the month of October, representing a 2% increase year over year. However, the average sales price, again for both residential and commercial, was $931,559 for the month, a robust 30% increase compared to October 2017. Also, the total dollar sales volume was $883 million, a 29% increase compared to the previous year."

Once again, mortgage financing in Norfolk County showed a decline. The Register noted, "A total of 2,084 mortgages were recorded during October, a 13% decrease from the previous year. Total mortgage indebtedness also decreased by 15% to $936 million. These numbers clearly reflect ongoing increases with interest rates, which have caused consumers to pause when it comes to buying a house or refinancing."

One positive note was the Registry's October foreclosure numbers which significantly dropped by 46% compared to the same time period in 2017. Additionally, the number of Notice to Foreclose Mortgage recordings, the first step in the foreclosure process, saw a reduction of 15%.

O'Donnell stated, "There is no question these foreclosure numbers are good news. With that said, we cannot forget that foreclosure activity has a human face associated with it. Despite the good economy, some of our neighbors are facing economic hardships. In this regard, my office continues to partner with the Quincy Community Action Programs, 617-479-8181 x376, and NeighborWorks Southern Mass, 508-587-0950 to help homeowners who have received a Notice to Foreclose Mortgage document. Another option is to contact the Massachusetts Attorney General's Consumer Advocacy and Response Division (CARD) at 617-727-8400."

In consumer news, Homestead activity at the Registry in October was relatively flat. A total of 1,020 Homesteads were filed, a 1% decrease compared to October 2017. O'Donnell noted the importance of filing a Homestead application. "A Homestead provides limited protection against the forced sale of an individual's primary residence to satisfy unsecured debt up to $500,000."

Register O'Donnell concluded, "These monthly statistics confirm what we already know. Limited inventory has led buyers to engage in competitive bidding for properties, thereby driving up real estate prices. Another factor that sees no signs of abating is the continuing increases in interest rates. The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds will continue to closely monitor these real estate trends in terms of how they affect the market."

To learn more about these and other Registry of Deeds events and initiatives, like us at facebook.com/NorfolkDeeds or follow us on twitter.com/NorfolkDeeds and instagram.com/NorfolkDeeds.

The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds is located at 649 High Street, Dedham. The Registry is a resource for homeowners, title examiners, mortgage lenders, municipalities and others with a need for secure, accurate, accessible land record information. All land record research information can be found on the Registry's website at www.norfolkdeeds.org. Residents in need of assistance can contact the Registry of Deeds Customer Service Center at (781) 461-6101, or email us at registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org.


Register William P. O'Donnell
Norfolk County Registry of Deeds

email: registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org
phone: 781-234-3336
Norfolk County Registry of Deeds, 649 High Street, Dedham,, MA 02026-1831

Sent by registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org in collaboration with
Constant Contact
Register O'Donnell Reports Small Real Estate Sales Increase in Norfolk County
Register O'Donnell

“There’s something for everyone”

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"The days of strolling through downtown with a hot chocolate during the Holiday Stroll are over, but a new tradition is making its way to the top of the tree. 
Franklin is taking a new look at the way it celebrates Christmas. The consensus was that the celebration didn’t go on for long enough. 
That’s why this year, with the guidance of the Downtown Partnership, town businesses grouped together to create a four-day celebration: Franklin Holiday Happenings. 
“We were looking at opportunities to include more businesses,” said Lisa Piana, Executive Director of the Downtown Partnership. “The Holiday Stroll was one evening, and that didn’t fit everyone’s schedule.”
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20181118/franklin-introduces-new-improved-holiday-celebration

Take a look at the entire schedule in list format 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1slPv8BACYFrjTM8jbi8LRfbxEpESbYlE/view

or brochure format
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hOYNQ9B6aOUnu08pYrJKFMwPJ2SJqWtw/view

“There’s something for everyone”
“There’s something for everyone”

"if cable franchising fees went away. It would be a major loss to all communities"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:
"Get ready to say goodbye to some local cable channel broadcasts of government meetings, elections and other town events. 
The Federal Communications Commission is moving toward adopting a new rule that community television groups say would gut funding for public, educational and governmental channels. 
“The loser, if that ends up happening, will be the local taxpayer, the local cable subscriber and the everyday citizens who rely on access to public information that’s provided through these programs,” said Geoffrey C. Beckwith, executive director and CEO of the Massachusetts Municipal Association. 
The proposed rule, moving quickly toward regulatory approval, would allow major cable companies, such as Verizon FiOS, Comcast Xfinity and RCN, to limit the amount of spending for community programming that has been negotiated as part of their licensing agreements with cities and towns."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20181117/fcc-rule-threatens-community-tv-programs-in-massachusetts


Franklin TV and WFPR.fm are supported by cable funding. The Town Council in Sept 2018 approved the new agreement with Verizon.
http://www.franklinma.gov/town-council/agenda-items/10a-legislation-action-1

The notes from the Sep 26, 2018 meeting with the approval for the Verizon Agreement  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/10/town-council-sep-26-2018.html

For more about your cable TV, visit Franklin.TV or WFPR.fm

http://franklin.tv/
http://franklin.tv/

Sunday, November 18, 2018

Franklin Food Elves “12 Days of Donating”

This year the Franklin Food Elves “12 Days of Donating” Campaign marks 13 years of helping neighbors in need during the holiday season.

The Elves will once again shift their collections for the Pantry to monetary donations only. The move away from food collections last year was necessary because the Pantry has no room to store the large amount of products that are donated during the holiday season.
(left to right) Julia Buccella and Natalie Dextradeur, co-leaders of the Food Elves Campaign
(left to right) Julia Buccella and Natalie Dextradeur,
co-leaders of the Food Elves Campaign

“We are truly grateful for the incredible amount of food we receive, but we are simply out of space,” said Erin Lynch, the Pantry’s executive director. “After the holidays, when end-of-year giving subsides and food drives are infrequent, monetary donations will help us through the lean months that follow.”

The Food Elves Campaign is now the Pantry’s largest fundraiser, raising nearly $24,000 last year.

“The community’s response was incredibly positive,” said Lynch. “The Elves delivered the message about our needs and the constraints of our facility, and their neighbors responded with enthusiasm. They rallied behind the Food Elves and really showed their support for the Pantry and the nearly 1,000 individuals who count on us.”

Monetary gifts allow the Pantry to buy what they need when they need it. They can supplement the nonperishable food that is collected through food drives with fresh and frozen foods like chicken, beef and other meats, dairy products, eggs, fresh vegetables and fruits.
an open house and tour at the Franklin Food Pantry for a group of Food Elves to kick off this year’s holiday drive
an open house and tour at the Franklin Food Pantry
for a group of Food Elves to kick off this year’s holiday drive

Over the next few weeks, the Food Elves will reach out to their neighbors about how they can support the Pantry. Donations can be made in two ways: through a check donation that the elves will pick up personally and deliver to the Pantry; or through each Elf's own personal campaign page on CrowdRise. 

CrowdRise is the world’s largest and fastest-growing fundraising platform dedicated exclusively to charitable giving. Each Elf will be able to keep track of how much each personally raises.

There are more than 130 elementary, middle and high school students involved in the Food Elves. Any student interested in becoming a Food Elf for the 2019 Campaign can sign up online at www.franklinfoodpantry.org/franklin-food-elves/.


School Committee - meeting recap - Nov 13, 2018

The Superintendent's report can be found online
https://www.franklinps.net/sites/franklinmaps/files/uploads/superintendents_report_to_school_committee_november_13_2018.pdf

I did not participate in the budget workshop but the doc used can be found online
https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-committee/files/resources-budget-workshop


The full set of documents released for this meeting
https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-committee/pages/november-13-2018-school-committee-packet-documents

My notes reported live for the meeting can be found here


Parmenter School has a new sign!
Parmenter School has a new sign!

THE BLACK BOX Local Artist Series presents The Noyz - Nov 21

THE BLACK BOX Local Artist Series presents The Noyz. Performing well-known dance/rock from pop radio, we invite the crowd to join the party! The Noyz are scheduled to start playing at 8:00 PM.

Tickets can be purchased online or at the door
https://www.theblackboxonline.com/events.php?id=1187


THE BLACK BOX Local Artist Series presents The Noyz - Nov 21
THE BLACK BOX Local Artist Series presents The Noyz - Nov 21

You may recall The Noyz rocked the crowd when they took their turn on the Dancing on Dean stage at the Harvest Festival 
 https://www.facebook.com/franklinmatters/videos/250440799152425/

Franklin Senior Center Newsletter - December 2018

Franklin Senior Center Newsletter - December 2018
Franklin Senior Center Newsletter - December 2018

"It’s obvious that there needs to be an adjustment made”

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:
"As cities and towns participating in a program that provides state funds to support affordable housing and open space preservation watch the state’s contribution dwindle, Community Preservation Act (CPA) advocates have fresh hope that Gov. Charlie Baker supports a fix. 
Almost two decades since the passage of the Community Preservation Act, about half of the communities in Massachusetts have opted into the program. The communities in the program have agreed to impose a surcharge on local property taxes with the promise of a state match to preserve open space, renovate historic buildings and parks and to build new playgrounds and athletic fields. 
The state matching funds are derived from a $20 fee assessed on certain real estate transactions through registries of deeds. The fee structure and match rate formula have not been changed since the CPA went into law in 2000 and as more communities adopt the CPA, each town’s share of the pie becomes smaller. 
When Gov. Paul Cellucci signed the CPA into law in 2000, the idea was to have the state match 100 percent of what each municipality raised by its property tax surcharge. That happened for the first six years, but the partnership has become more one-sided in the last decade-plus."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20181117/baker-open-to-fee-hike-to-boost-cpa-match

The Community Preservation Act was before the Franklin voters in Nov 2007 and failed to pass.
Ballot Question 1 
Yes - 1528            No - 2174
The Community Preservation Act did not pass.
- See more at: http://steves2cents.blogspot.com/2007/11/franklin-community-preservation-act.html#sthash.Wo1X7DV6.dpuf (Note - this was from the period just before Franklin Matters became its own web page)

The Veterans Walkway at night in the snow
The Veterans Walkway at night in the snow